A tragic incident unfolded in a southern Philippine high school on Tuesday when a high school student used two pistols to fatally shoot a fellow student before taking his own life. The attack, which was livestreamed using a body-worn camera, marked the second fatal school shooting in the country within two months.
Following the gunshots at the Ateneo de Zamboanga university campus in Zamboanga city, hundreds of students were evacuated as police and city officials responded. Two individuals were injured during the incident, which involved Grade 9 student Mohammad Mael Jalani as the suspect.
According to initial reports, Jalani fired at a teacher but missed, then proceeded to shoot a student on the fourth floor before committing suicide on the fifth floor of the building. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed that the attacker livestreamed the attack on Facebook Live, providing glimpses of the tragic events.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso confirmed that the suspect ultimately shot himself during the incident. The high school building where the shooting occurred is located within a secured campus, separate from the main campus of the university. Ateneo de Zamboanga suspended classes across all levels in the wake of the attack.
Joe Darryl Jaron, who had just dropped off his child at the school, captured the chaos on video as students reacted to the gunshots with panic. After the situation was deemed under control by authorities, parents and guardians were advised to follow the school’s instructions for picking up their children.
The national police chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., assured the public of ongoing efforts to determine the circumstances of the incident. He urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information that could cause unnecessary alarm.
It was revealed that one of the pistols used by the suspect belonged to his father, a police commander. The Bureau of Customs deputy commissioner recommended the father’s temporary suspension for failing to properly secure the government-issued firearm.
Despite efforts to enhance school security following a previous shooting in June, incidents involving firearms remain a challenge in the Philippines. The country witnessed a shooting in Tacloban city where three high school students were killed and several others injured. Two students were arrested in connection with that incident.
In conclusion, while crimes involving firearms are not uncommon in the Philippines due to the prevalence of unlicensed firearms, school shootings remain relatively rare. Authorities continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of the school community as they address the aftermath of this tragic event.